I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a cover assembly capable of enclosing the bed of a pickup truck, and more particularly to a cover assembly for securing the tarp of a tonneau cover to a frame over the truck's bed.
II. Discussion of the Prior Art
In the past, a number of protective coverings have been manufactured to protect materials placed in the bed of a pickup truck. Many of the coverings developed were fabric covers that were somewhat stretchable and attached to a rigid frame surrounding the interior of the truck's bed. Known methods for attaching the frame and cover included snaps, hooks, and other fasteners. Despite these advances, the attachment arrangements often are difficult to adjust as the cover stretches over time. Some even require the cover to be nearly completely removed to provide adjustment to accommodate stretching.
In response to the difficulty experienced in maintaining tension in these tonneau covers, devices began to be utilized having various configurations of assembly members for attaching the cover to the frame. One design used hook and loop type fasteners and stretcher bars to fasten a cover to a frame structure. The end plate pivotally contacted the end of the frame structure as the end plate was rotated into a fixed stretching position. Several similar variations of this design were made using a variety of attachment components. Although these designs were somewhat useful, they did not effectively solve many problems which still existed in these designs.
One problem that continues to exist with prior art tonneau covers is that the tarp material can expand and contract due to weather conditions or loading of the cover. Therefore, there is a real need to provide an arrangement that can be easily and quickly adjusted to securely hold the cover in place as the truck travels the roads and highways.